


Honey And Toys

by Hekate1308



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Doctor Dean Winchester, M/M, Toy maker Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: Dean was holiday shopping when he noticed it.A toy stall that also sold tea… with honey.Rather interesting. And he was always looking for new toys for little Dean and Mel… even if Sam kept insisting that he shouldn’t spoil them; but hey, what were uncles for if not for that?Plus, he’d always liked honey in his tea.See? He had his reasons and none had to do with the dark-haired, blue-eyed guy manning the stall.Destiel Christmas story.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 38





	Honey And Toys

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!

“Alright“ Dean muttered to himself, “All we need now is another present for Sammy, and we’re good to go…”

He wasn’t exactly stressed out; God knew that if it had been that easy to disconcert him, he should never have set foot in the ER to begin with; but he was somewhat annoyed at the mass of holiday shoppers who were barring his way. That said, he didn’t begrudge them their Christmas cheer – on the contrary; he himself loved to make merry; and that he’d spent most of the last few holiday seasons working had much less to do with any disclination of him to celebrate and much with him being one of the doctors who didn’t have children of his own and therefore wanting to help out his colleagues as much as he could.

He would’ve volunteered this year as well, only that his boss Crowley had almost had a coronary when he’d shown up with his request and all but ordered him to take the time off.

And so here he was instead, holiday shopping. Not that he’d left everything to the last minute – but there were one or two things that he had yet to get.

And so, he’d braved both the cold and the crowds and gone out, immensely enjoying himself at times, it was true – he’d never been a Scrooge, and he wasn’t about to start now.

He even found an ugly Christmas sweater that he’d most definitely get Crowley to put on, since in his revenge for being told to take time off, he’d made sure he was invited to Sam’s and Eileen’s Christmas party on the 26th.

What he could really use, he decided, having been to Austria in December a few years ago, was a cup of punsch – not that he was likely to get open here, not the proper one he’d drunk in Vienna amidst countless stalls where they sold everything from snow globes to food. But oh well. He had a holiday, and it was Christmas time, and he was going to enjoy himself.

Especially since a few stalls had been out up, so he might as well see what they had to offer.

Huh. A toy stall that also sold tea… with honey.

Rather interesting. And he was always looking for new toys for little Dean and Mel… even if Sam kept insisting that he shouldn’t spoil them; but hey, what were uncles for if not for that?

Plus, he’d always liked honey in his tea.

See? He had his reasons and none had to do with the dark-haired, blue-eyed guy manning the stall.

Alright, maybe it had a little bit to do with him, but come on. Dean knew he had a type and he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

Granted, there was the slightly disconcerting fact that, in the midst of all this holiday cheer, the guy looked incredibly grumpy – despite wearing a Christmas sweater and a Santa hat; but then, Dean supposed a full day of customer service could do this you.

And so, he approached him with a friendly smile and a nod. “Afternoon. Can I have some” he squinted at the signs “Black tea with honey, please?”

“Of course.” The man hadn’t answered his smile for his greeting – pity, he was even prettier from up close – so Dean contended himself with checking out the toys on display while he was waiting.

Oh – was that – “Man, is that a Chevy Impala?”

It was impeccably crafted and formed, and carefully painted; he could tell immediately that it had been done by hand.

“Yes.” Now he seemed to perk up a little as he handed Dean the Styrofoam cup. “It’s some of my best work.”

He wasn’t bragging – no; this was the voice and the expression of a man who knew he was good, and he was doing good work. Dean had seen it often enough in a mirror. “I’d say. My niece would love it.”

Mel had shown an inclination for cars early on, much to Dean’s joy – it would have been a shame if there’d been a generation of Winchesters who didn’t appreciate Baby.

He took a sip of his tea. “Hey, that’s awesome!”

Now the man gave a somewhat pained smile. “Honey from my brother’s hives. He’s always loved bees.”

“You don’t?”

“I made the mistake of admitting to rather liking them once and perhaps alluding to the need to save as many of them as we can – and for my troubles, I am now regularly roped in to help with Jimmy’s hives.”

Dean laughed. “Yeah, well, time with your bro – what could be better?”

The man’s face suggested that at the moment, he’d rather not see his brother.

“But if it’s his honey – “ and just from the big signs you could tell that the stall was supposed to mostly sell tea, so this was clearly not the guy’s gig – “Why are you here?”

“The joys of being a free-lance translator working from home” he sighed.

“Yeah, well, at least you don’t have to regularly clean up blood and guts” Dean said before remembering that some people were rather touchy when it came to things like this and hastily added, “I’m an emergency surgeon.”

“Ah. I was wondering.”

And then they were staring at one another.

God, it should be illegal to have eyes that blue. Dean took another sip of his tea and asked, “Now there’s the Impala… do you have anything for a little boy who’s going through his dinosaur phase?”

The man broke into a smile. “Cute ones or realistic ones?”

“ _Cool_ ones”.

“Well in that case, let me check…”

Dean thanked his lucky stars there were no other customers as they carefully went through the guy’s offerings. They were, indeed, cool – and of course he had to take the T-Rex.

“Thanks, man, I’m sure they’ll love their surprises.”

“I’m glad” he told him, nothing of the grumpiness remaining in either his expression or his voice.

“I’m Dean, by the way” he eventually managed to slip in. He sure as hell wasn’t going to leave without even getting the name.

“Castiel.”

“Like the angel?”

Castiel stared at him.

“Mom – she was – into that kind of stuff” he shrugged, feeling slightly awkward.

“Yes. Angels of Thursdays, solitude and tears.”

“Really cheery stuff, huh.”

“I expect you see enough tears in your line of work.”

“Sometimes we make it, and that’s what counts.”

Castiel smiled as he wrapped up Dean’s purchases; he noticed he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

_Careful Winchester, you know what they say – you start noticing that, you start getting old._

Finally he ran out of excuses to hang out and left rather reluctantly, wondering if Castiel was indeed looking slightly wistful or if it was just wishful thinking.

* * *

From then on, Dean made it a point to regularly show up and have a cup of tea., He just liked the honey, alright? And Castiel was not bad company at all, either.

As was Jimmy, as he had learned one afternoon when he had hap0pily hailed Castiel’s twin only to realize his mistake. Apparently even his wife mistook them sometimes, though, so… And for what it was worth, Jimmy had laughed and said “Oh, it’s you” so Cas (he had certainly raised no objection to the nickname) had been talking about him and oh dear Lord, what if –

“Out with it, Winchester” Crowley nudged him. “There’s something on your mind. I want to know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours.”

He had ever right to call him to attention, of course; hey had to be sharp and alert at all times on the job; and so Dean said, “Nothing.”

“So nothing has you grinning like the Cheshire cat while we’re going over this week’s schedule?”

“It’s almost Christmas.”

“Yes, operations on Christmas always make me happy too.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re the devil, man.”

“Please; I don’t like being compared to amateurs.”

Dean snorted. As if he didn’t know that Crowley had already planned to have the children’s ward decorated with no less than three Christmas trees on Christmas Eve, and that he couldn’t have been prouder of his own boy Gavin, who was currently studying law at Yale, if he’d tried. “Fine. If you have to know” even if he didn’t tell him, Crowley would figure it out, so he might as well “I… sort of met someone.”

Crowley raised an eyebrow. “Sort of? How intriguing.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll tell you.” And he did.

“Oh my, look at you, Squirrel. There you are, trying to get that las Christmas gift or two –“

“Did you just –“

“And here is someone who just can’t get into the spirit of the season, but the second he sees you –“

“Could you stop sounding like a Hallmark commercial –“

“And as sparks fly, love blooms beneath the mistletoe –“

“There was no mistletoe –“

Crowley, of course, regaled himself for a few minutes more on the subject, but Dean knew him too well and was in too good a mood to pay much attention, really.

* * *

Alright. It was getting close to Christmas now, and if Dean didn’t say anything, he might never… and of course, after the holidays, the stall would be gone, and he wouldn’t see Cas anymore if he didn’t act.

And he’d never been one to hesitate when there was something he wanted, and he was reasonably sure he could get it. In that regard, he and Crowley were quite similar.

“Hi, Cas” he said, strolling up with all the appearance of confidence to hide that he was actually pretty nervous underneath it all.

Plus, he could really use some lifting up, with the day he’d had…

“Hello, Dean” came the inevitable answer.

“How are you today?”

“A woman bought a few toys for her grandchildren” Cas said, his whole face lighting up – and once more Dean considered it a shame that he couldn’t live by his handiwork but had to keep translating; then again, Cas seems to enjoy working with languages, so much he’d already gathered form their few talks.

“That’s great!”

“And, how was your day?”

He couldn’t help it; his face fell. “A young family. Car crash. The little boy…” he swallowed.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to say anything else, for Cas immediately made him a cup of tea and gave it to him, his soft eyes expressing nothing but sympathy.

Their fingers lingered, ever so slightly touching.

He instantly felt better. “Thanks, man.”

“I should thank you. You are doing important work.”

“’S just what I always wanted to do, is all” he shrugged, feeling suddenly very self-conscious.

Cas was still smiling at him and he somehow found the courage to do what he had set out to do. “Wouldyouliketogoitwithmeoneofthesedays?” he rushed out.

Cas blinked. “Sorry?”

“I was wondering… if you’d like to go out… sometime.”

He’d thought his favourite smile of Cas’ was that little half-smile he gave him when he was pleased Dean had come after all, but the full-on beam that was his answer blew that out of the water. “Let me just close the shop.”

Alright. Apparently they were going out right now? “Won’t Jimmy –“

“Jimmy’s been demanding I “put you out of your misery” (oh god he was doing quoty fingers. This had no business being that cute) ever since you first confused us.”

And then they were off.

* * *

They strolled through a nearby park when Dean suddenly stood still. “Cas look it’s snowing!”

Cas laughed at his enthusiasm as he reached out to catch a few flakes.

“White Christmas!” Dean grinned.

“You really do love Christmas.”

“I do.” He hesitated for a moment, then said, “Cas, Sam – you know, my brother – he’s having a Christmas party on the 26th, and – would you be my date?”

He smiled. “I would love nothing better.”

And Dean couldn’t help it – he reached out and kissed who would eventually turn out to be his future husband on the Eve of Christmas Eve, as the snowflakes gently danced around them.


End file.
